Return to Pemberley
by AnnaMariaNordlade
Summary: How did Darcy feel about seing Elizabeth at Pemberley? 2005-movie. One-shot.


**Hello. I loved the P&P movie from 2005. I have been thinking about what Darcy felt, when he saw Elizabeth at Pemberley, spying on him and his sister. Here is my one-shot. Onjoy it and please review.**

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Fitzwilliam Darcy arrived at Pemberley a day earlier. Partly it was because of business with a steward, but it was also for surprising Georgiana. And he loved surprising her, if it makes her smile.

He was riding on his horse, enjoying the speed and the air rushing at his face. Soon he would see the roof of his home.

Pemberley. Home. A place with memories. Sweet and harsh. He remembered his childhood with his parents and sister. And George Wickham. When Darcy was a boy, Wickham had been a good friend or rather a good playmate, but later… Darcy didn't want to think about it. He had learned that there was a difference between friend and playmate. He was happy that Georgiana was herself again. Not completely herself, but a little more mature. Still happy. She had gotten over Wickham. What really had upset her was not at she had lost George, but the fact that she had been so easy to fool. She had called herself stupid and felt bad about herself for a long time. Darcy hoped that if anything good came out of this mess that would be that Georgiana would be more careful about love especially when she was a wealthy lady.

Love. Elizabeth.

The thought of Elizabeth gave him a feeling of a wind that blew tough through a hole in his chest. Why couldn't he forget about her? She didn't love him. She made that clear. But he still couldn't forget her. He had thought about her rejection for a long time. He had realized that he hadn't really given her a good impression of him. He had planted the seed of hate in her. Wickham had just water it. And that part about Miss Bennet and Bingley had been the last blow. An amazing woman who hated him.

_You should take your aunt's advice and practice._

He had practice in being better to confront with strangers. Talk to them. He could still get nervous, but he did become better. Hopefully he wouldn't look cold and proud next time he was with strangers.

He could see Pemberley. He stopped the horse to look at it. His home. The place where he was born and where he will die. Georgiana was there. And he would surprise her.

He could hear her playing the piano as soon as he got inside. A servant told him that Mrs. Reynolds was showing some visitors around Pemberley, so Darcy thought it would be better to avoid them. It would be a bit awkward to run into them by accident.

"Where are they now?" he asked.

"I think Mrs. Reynolds took them to the sculpture gallery."

Then Darcy knew what way to take to get to Georgiana without getting seen by the visitors. He could hear the music getting louder as he got closer. When he was at the music room he spotted Georgiana sitting by the piano. He smiled by the sight of her and walked over to her. She hadn't seen him yet and still played. She always practiced and had become really good at it.

Georgiana suddenly stopped playing, when she spotted him. She broke into a smile and jumped up in his arms. He laughed of joy and twirled her around like their father did to him, when he was a child. His little sister. The most important thing for him in the whole world.

Then, in the big mirror, he saw a pair of brown eyes, he was too familiar with.

_Impossible…_

Elizabeth gasped upon being discovered and vanished from his sight.

_No._ He couldn't lose her. Not again.

"Wait here," He said to Georgiana, who didn't understand what was going on, and then he ran after Elizabeth.

He managed to see her running outside.

"Miss Elizabeth," he called, while he ran down the stair and walk the rest of the way to her.

Elizabeth had stopped and slowly turned to him. Obviously embarrass.

They stood there I front of each other, not knowing what to say.

"I thought you were in London," Elizabeth began. She looked really uncomfortable. Like a child caught in stealing cookies.

"Not," he finally said. "I am not."

Was it really all he could say? It was obviously that he was not in London. But he couldn't help it. When he is around Elizabeth, he was like another person.

"No," Elizabeth said. She could see that.

Again there was the awkward silence. Suddenly they both talked at the same time.

"We wouldn't have come…" Elizabeth said.

"No, I came back a day earlier…"

"… had we know you were here."

"… some business with my steward."

Silence again. Darcy was unprepared. She had only come here, when she was sure that he wasn't here. Of course. Who would want to ran into a man, you despised?

"I'm in Derbyshire with my aunt and uncle," Elizabeth said.

"And are you having a… pleasant trip?" he asked like this was a normal conversation. He still couldn't keep his eyes from her. Oh, how she looked beautiful.

"Very pleasant," she answered. "Tomorrow we go to Matlock."

"Tomorrow?" So soon?

_Please don't go._

"Are you staying at Lambton?" _Was that 'you' as in her and her relatives or just her?_

"Yes, at the Rose and Crown."

"Yes." He knew that place very well.

They stood there for a while and didn't seem to know what to do. Then Elizabeth spoked.

"I'm so sorry to intrude. They said that the house was open to visitors, but I had no idea…" She really sounded sorry.

_No, no, my love. Don't be sorry. I'm still amazed by the fact that you're here._ It was like a dream. He shook his head and hoped that she will realize that he wasn't upset.

"May I see you back to the village?" he asked.

"NO," she shouted. Clearly, she was still embarrassed by being found by him. "I'm very fond of walking," she then said gentle.

"Yes," he said and smiled a little. "I know." He remembered the day she arrived at Netherfield with bright eyes.

After a moment she curtsied and said "Goodbye, Mr. Darcy." He bowed with his head and watch, while she walked away from him as if she couldn't get away fast enough.

Darcy still stood at the same spot. She was here at Pemberley. They have talked together. It was a bit awkward, but it was better than last time. What could he hope from that?

Slowly he turned around and walk back inside, where Georgiana was waiting.

"William?" she whispered careful. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," he answered and caressed the hair of his sister gentle.

"Was that her?" she asked curious.

Darcy had told Georgiana all about Elizabeth Bennet when he needed to talk about to somebody. Georgiana had been listening carefully and comforted her brother, when she found it necessary. But she has also been interesting in Elizabeth and what she was for a person and express a wish to meet her one day.

"You were watching," he concluded. He wasn't mad at her, but he wasn't approving it either.

Georgiana looked down. "Sorry," she said.

"Don't worry," he said and smiled a bit. "Would you mind staying alone, while I'm going to Lambton?"

Georgiana make her eyes wide. "Lambton? Is Miss Bennet staying there?"

Darcy smiled. "Let's wait the questions until I'm back."

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The innkeeper of The Rose and Crown greeted Mr. Darcy, when he arrived.

"Mr. Darcy, what a pleasure. What brings you here?"

"I have heard there is a friend of mine, who is staying here with her relatives. A Miss Elizabeth Bennet."

"Miss Bennet? She is one of your friends, Mr. Darcy? Yes, she is staying here with her uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner. They are sitting over there."

Darcy looked in the way, where the innkeeper pointed and saw a man and his wife sitting at a table eating, but Elizabeth wasn't there. Maybe it will go better, if she wasn't here to make him nervous. He took a deep breath. Now he had to use the best, he had learned about social with strangers. His heart was beating as he approached the Gardiners.

"Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner?" he asked.

The couple looked at him in surprise. "You're Mr. Darcy. We have just been at your house earlier."

"Yes, I know," Darcy said. "I had the pleasure of running into your niece there."

"Lizzy? She didn't tell us that."

Darcy couldn't stop smiling. "In the matter that it was a really awkward meeting for both of us, I'm not surprise."

Mr. Gardiner stood up and bowed. "Mr. Darcy, it's an honor to meet you. I'm Mr. Edward Gardiner. This is my wife Mary."

"Glad to make your acquaintance, sir. Madame, pleasure to meet you."

"Would you like to see Lizzy? She is just upstairs and will be coming down soon. You could sit down and wait."

Elizabeth, upstairs? The thought make his heart beat faster. No, no, don't forget why you are here.

"No, thank you. I heard that you're going to Matlock tomorrow. Is that right?"

"That's right, Mr. Darcy," Mrs. Gardiner said. "We only stop here, because I drew up here as a girl and wanted to visit the village again and we wanted to see Pemberley."

"Well, if you have time tomorrow before you leave, I would like to invite you and Miss Bennet to dine with me and my sister at my home."

"To dine with you? At Pemberley? That's awful nice of you. Well, we could delay our journey a day longer. I'm sure Lizzy wouldn't mind that."

Then that's settled. Elizabeth was going to stay here longer. It might be a little selfish, but… he couldn't help it. He was in love with the woman. He just wanted to see her again.

"Then shall we say at noon?"

"It would be our pleasure, Mr. Darcy," Mr. Gardiner answered. The Gardiners seem like good people. Not all of Elizabeth's relatives were like her younger sisters and her mother. He felt good about it.

"Are you sure you wouldn't want to sit down?" Mrs. Gardiner asked.

"Thank you," he said. "But I'm afraid that Georgiana is expecting me at home soon. I'm looking forward to tomorrow, especially to introduce Miss Elizabeth to my sister."

Mr. Gardiner smiled to him. "Then see you tomorrow noon, Mr. Darcy."

"See you. I shall send my carriage at noon. Mr. Gardiner, Mrs. Gardiner, have a good night." And then he left them. When he came outside, he felt… happy. It was like his heart was going to sing. Elizabeth was going to dine with him at Pemberley tomorrow. Georgiana was going to meet her. He had never felt happier than that moment.

He knew at soon or later Elizabeth was going back to Longbourn, but for now was it wrong to enjoy the time he could have with the woman, he loved, and show her how much he had changed since his failed proposal in April? Even if he never could win her love, he at least wanted to have her approval, good opinion… and at least her friendship.

_Accept any kind of love from her, even if it's just friendship, it is still love._

But there was a part of him. A part, that still survived from Elizabeth's hate in April, even when she said that he was the last man in the world she would marry.

A part that might be called Hope.

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**The End. Did you like it? :-)**


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